The Archives and History Committee (General Council) is pleased to introduce the “Honouring Our Heritage – Celebrating The United Church of Canada Historic Commemorations Program”, to encourage the commemoration of aspects of the history and culture of The United Church of Canada. (For more detailed information visit Honouring Our Heritage.

Church plaques commemorating consummation: not all the common, but this one from St. Paul’s in Thunder Bay does just that. The Heritage project recognizes buildings, people and all kinds of events in the life of the church.

The Historic Commemorations Program allows us to better recognize, honour and interpret our cultural and historic treasures. A unique aspect of the Program is the recognition of the intangible aspects of United Church history and heritage: the customs, cultural practices, traditional knowledge that defines the Church.

The United Church of Canada will publicly recognize:

Persons of Historic Significance

either individuals or groups actively involved in The United Church of Canada or its predecessor Churches, or their work must have had a significant and demonstrable impact on the Church, its cultural, or how the Church has evolved. Persons must have been deceased for 25 years or more.

Places or Sites of Historic Significance

any site that has an historic connection to the Church. And “place” can include an archaeological site, a structure, a group of buildings, a district, a community, or a cultural landscape.

Events of Historic Significance

an action that occurred at a specific time and place (at least 25 years before nomination) that influenced the subsequent history of the Church or expresses the Church’s culture, tradition, or heritage.

any traditional cultural practices, skill, knowledge, custom, or expression that broadly portrays the unique identities of The United Church of Canada, including and particularly those that are in danger of being lost.

To participate

Individuals and groups are invited to participate in the program by submitting their nominations for historic commemoration to the Archives and History Committee according to the program eligibility criteria.